Wilsons Promontary Camp

Sunday 15 - Saturday 21 April 2012
Led by Kay

Words by Helen, Joan, Ann & Len : Photos by Len, Kay, Donna, Helen

INDEX

Day 1, Monday
Day 2, Tuesday
Day 3, Wednesday
Day 4, Thursday
Day 5, Friday
Wakeful in Wilsons Prom, Helen & Martin's Wombat Tale

Day 1 Monday, Medium/Hard Walk, Darby Saddle, Tongue Point, Darby River, Darby Beach

With the promise of a mainly downhill walk from the camp and only the smallest chance of rain, 13 walkers set off on the 9.4 km walk from Darby Saddle to Tongue Point, past Fairy Cove and ending up at Darby River. To make us feel more virtuous and to bolster our belief that this was a medium/hard walk, we also walked the 2.2 km to and from Darby Beach.

After the compulsory group photo at the sign post, we set off UPHILL! Fabulous views in clear sunshine encouraged us on, some red heath flowers were out and watching some birds helped us up the hills, but it was the granite rock formations and the turquoise sea that stole the show, they were stunning. Photos of various bushwalkers on various rocks at various lookouts are the proof.


Group photo Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Mike and Martin stone skimming Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Darby Beach Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

Coming round a hill to the river valley revealed another aspect of Wilsons Prom, a deep dark river snaking in marshland and the recently mended Darby Bridge that was washed away in the April 2011 floods. Then the walk to the beach, the sand cliffs were impressive, a group of Pacific Gulls watched us, and Mike and Martin had a stone-skimming competition. The sea, though beautiful tempted no-one! An excellent introduction to Wilsons Prom....Helen

Day 1 Monday, Easy/Medium Walk, Darby Saddle to Tongue Point

The day started out to be very sunny and warm as 14 bushwalkers headed off to Darby River car park to commence our walk. We hadn’t gone very far when we came across a young wombat that had obviously had an altercation with a fellow beastie and come off second best, as he had numerous scars across his back and was trying to keep his strength up by non-stop eating of the vegetation, even when being patted and scratched, and having his photo taken.

We started up the hillside which turned out to be quite a steep boardwalk in the beginning, but gradually eased up to be an easier traverse up the side and then levelled out, but we did have to watch out as the path was quite gravelly and slippery in places. The views were magnificient with some rocks looking like prehistoric animals lying in wait for the unwary traveller. We passed a very pretty bay called Fairy Cove and then went on towards Tongue Point where we stopped for lunch. We returned the same way making good time arriving back at the cars about 1 o’clock. Thanks John for a wonderful walk.....Ann

Day 2 Tuesday, Len's Solo Lighthouse Walk

I set off early on Tuesday morning to walk the 24 km to the Lighthouse. I was pleased that the northern section of the Telegraph Track was closed to visitors because the alternative route via Oberon Bay was much more scenic and more interesting despite the extra 4 km distance. Helen and Martin accompanied me as far as the campsite at Oberon Bay, and I really appreciated their company.

The walk from there to Halfway Hut was fairly easy going, but the climb from there up to the top of Telegraph Saddle took some energy. After that the walk was relatively easy down to the Roaring Meg campsite. This is a lovely campsite for overnight campers with a really nice stream running past and some good flat clear spaces for pitching tents. From there on I had the choice of the walking track, which has not yet been restored after the devastating floods of March 2011, or the Telegraph Track. I chose the walking track which was much more scenic although somewhat hilly and also badly eroded in places. The last section was a good walking track down to close to the lighthouse, followed by a very steep 700 metre concrete driveway up to the lighthouse itself, which was a real effort after a 23 km walk with full pack.

The accommodation was in one of the five the lighthouse keepers cottages which were the old solid brick houses with high internal ceilings, beautifully restored and beautifully maintained, but with modern bathrooms and kitchen.


Len strides out to the Lighthouse solo Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Wilsons Prom Lighthouse Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Lighthouse cottages from top of lighthouse Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

On the Wednesday I walked about halfway to Little Waterloo Bay on a good walking track with some nice ocean views and a section of good rainforest. That afternoon the caretaker at the Lighthouse took me and the one other guest on a tour of the lighthouse, which was most interesting, and included much of the history.

The lighthouse was completed in 1859 and was originally fitted with a series of oil lamps burning whale oil or any other fuel that was available. It was later converted to pressurised kerosene lamps (similar to Tilley lamps) and the whole arrangement floated in a bath of mercury, which allowed it to rotate on a virtually frictionless bearing. The rotation was driven by a clockwork mechanism driven by falling lead weights which the lighthouse keepers had to wind back up every three hours. This was later converted to a series of 200 watt sealed beam lights similar to car headlights and powered by a diesel generator.

The lighthouse has since been converted to using a single 30 watt bulb with lenses which enable the beam to be seen 18 nautical miles to sea, supplied with solar power, and with fully automatic operation. It can even change light bulbs automatically if one fails. Power supply for the cottages is provided by a four-cylinder diesel generator which charges up a large battery bank and an inverter then converts the DC supply to 240 volt AC.

Supplies to the lighthouse were originally brought in by ship, and a wharf and crane were provided on the eastern side of the peninsula. All equipment, supplies etc. were then raised up to the top site by means of a flying fox powered by a steam driven winch. Nowadays, all supplies are delivered by helicopter and a 4 wheel drive vehicle is used to transport supplies up to the top.

My walk back on Wednesday was generally uneventful, and I chose the Telegraph Track route back to Roaring Meg in preference to the walking track. Although 1.7 km longer it was mostly flat, and I covered the distance in about the same time as on Tuesday, but with less effort. This is a walk that I can recommend to anyone who is prepared to put in the effort to get there....Len

Day 2 Tuesday, Tidal River to Oberon Bay


Lorelle, Irene, Lesley, Susan, Donna Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Norman Bay Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Little Oberon Bay Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo


Lichen covered boulders Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Soothing those tired feet Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

The track from Tidal River led uphill until we reached the southern end of Norman Bay. From here we followed the walking track around the headland, taking a short but steep climb down to Norman Point with great views of Norman and other outlying islands - a fabulous spot for morning tea

Continuing on round the headland we reached little Oberon Beach where the mountain side was scarred by a huge landslip, a casualty of the heavy deluge of rain in 2011. The mountainside was covered in huge boulders of varying shapes and sizes, some balanced precariously. Some of the walkers stayed here for lunch before making the return trip.

Eventually the remaining walkers reached Oberon Bay where all but four stopped for lunch. The four stalwarts walked south along the beach to the campsite where a table made of various lengths of driftwood provided a suitable spot for lunch.

On the return journey some groups walked back along Norman Beach, happy to soothe their tired feet in the sea. The whole walk offered spectacular panoramic views of pristine beaches, rocky outcrops and aqua seas.....Nice report, whoever you are

Day 3 Wednesday, Lay Day

In the absence of nearby shops, cafes or other trappings of civilisation, many spent the Lay Day walking various sections of the Coastal Track from Tidal River Campsite to Whisky Bay.


En route to Whisky Bay Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Rocky outcrops Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Coastal views Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

Day 4 Thursday, Medium/Hard Walk, Vereker Lookout and Lower Barry Track


Martin scans the whiteout from Vereker Lookout Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Mangroves in the mist Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	There's a view here somewhere Lower Barry Creek Track Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

Day 4 Thursday, Medium Walk, Vereker Lookout and Millers Landing


Group photo Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Jill and Lorelle at Vereker Lookout Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Donna and Lesley at the Lookout Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

A merry group led by Ian set out on rising to the challenge of reaching the heights of Vereker Outlook and along the way were surprised by the large numbers of sculptural, burnt, but leafy banksias and grass trees growing in a strong landscape background of wonderful rocks of sometimes enormous size and shape.

The day was overcast and as we walked higher the clouds descended over us as we went further into the mist, which unfortunately deterred us from reaching the top of the Outlook where no outlook was visible. So morning tea was welcome before we made our way back down and then along the track to Millers Landing.

This part of the walk took us to the edge of the most southern growing mangroves in the world where the marine park features included Posidonia seagrass, one of the largest in the world so we were certainly in a very special area. The walk today was certainly in a most unique section of the national park and very much enjoyed by one and all with our thanks to Ian for leading us on our adventure.....Joan

Day 5 Friday, Easy & Medium Walks, Lilly Pilly Circuit

On an overcast but windless and non threatening morning, ten walkers took on the lovely 5.8 km circuit, rated moderate. The “easy” group took on the same walk in the opposite direction!! All found it well worth the effort as the good track wound through heathland and eucalyptus forest with a truly lovely boardwalk through a temperate rainforest included.

A wallaby was seen as were unusual fungi on several burnt out gums with cavernous interiors. Park photographs by the track showed how well the area has recovered from fire, but a gully on the flank of Mt Bishop showed the devastation caused by flash flooding as the waters scarred and flattened all in its path for some hundreds of metres.

Day 5 Friday, Hard Walk, Mt Bishop and Lilly Pilly Circuit


This track opened again only 3 weeks ago Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Len and Lorelle inspect the landslip Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	Susan on Lilly Pilly Circuit Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

“I am NOT going up the mountain next Friday that’s for sure!!!” “Hands up who wants to go to the top of the mountain?” “Yes I will – its Bettys walk!!!” – am I crazy????

As we walked up the eerie track we felt like the girls from Picnic at Hanging Rock disappearing into the fog and we hoped we would return!! What did we see from the top after our leisurely (or “slow” according to Betty!!) stroll? NOTHING - too foggy.

So off Betty flashed down the mountainside with the rest of us following at our own pace. Then onto Lilly Pilly Circuit, across the boardwalk looking at the beautiful ferns. We arrived back at the carpark and seeing as we had enjoyed the walk and the company so much, we then walked to the Tidal River camping area. What a great day – Thank you Betty.....Another nice report, whoever you are

WAKEFUL IN WILSONS PROM - HELEN & MARTIN'S WOMBAT TALE

Monday.....We congratulated ourselves on the choice of campsite 340. It was a quiet, beautiful spot surrounded by twisted tea trees. Just five minutes walk to the sea at Norman Beach (and another five if the tide was out!), and full of wildlife. Flocks of superb fairy wrens followed our every move, scrub wrens investigated the undergrowth, and a pair of grey strike thrushes warbled their way into our hearts. A frog chuckled at nightfall, deer darted about at night and wombats munched grass on the verge. What an idyllic place to camp!

Tuesday.....After a day walking, we rested up in our tent with a mug of Milo before Happy Hour. We were suddenly aware of a wombat walking the perimeter of the tent and, having read the warning signs about keeping food out of tents and in cars so wombats don’t cause problems, we immediately shooed it away. The wind got up that evening; we cooked inside the tent and went to bed unable to sleep from the noise of the wind and the irregular flapping of the tent. We made frequent forays outside to check the tent pegs were secure. Around 10 pm we heard a new noise. Wombat had returned and was launching an attack on the tent! I fumbled for the torch, flapped about trying to find the compartment zipper; and finally arrived in the “living area” of the tent to see Wombat attempting to push his way through the inner tent layer. I shoved him back and as he moved to the side entrance I again confronted him with a lot of noise, the torch in his eyes, whereupon he moved a few feet away. Then he stood there, like a naughty child who’d been found out and was sulking. That wasn’t good enough, I rushed at him noisily again. He decided that a half-dressed, middle-aged Englishwoman defending her castle was too much to cope with and trundled off down one of his tracks.

I was stunned - I had witnessed a wombat-style ram-raid! Martin was impressed – he had witnessed Helen valiantly defending The Tent!

We retired to assess the damage, a small hole in the inner mesh and the loosening of a tent peg. Martin mended the hole as any well-trained bushwalker would, with duct tape!

Wednesday.....We told fellow bushwalkers our tale including the fact that Wombat seemed clever and had “cased the joint” hours before his assault. Donna and Kay remarked that, if he’d been that clever, he would have waited till we left the tent for Happy Hour and made his assault then.

That afternoon, Martin set off for Happy Hour ahead of me so he could avail himself of the camp facilities first. Moments later I came out of the tent to meet Wombat! He turned and fled, maybe one confrontation with me was enough in 24 hours. I had a dilemma, stay and defend The Tent, or go to Happy Hour. I packed up all vestiges of cooking and food and locked them in the car. The Tent would have to defend itself, I was off to Happy Hour!

Thursday.....After another windy and therefore noisy night, we had had no further visitations. Wombat had been seen, a little way off, busily engaged munching grass, or was he feigning disinterest? I had been responsible and reported the case of “wombat aggression” to the Park Ranger at the office. This involved a little paperwork to describe the incident and the Ranger had muttered something about “if it happens again, you might need to move site”.


Beware of Wombats Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo	No tent is safe Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

I felt uneasy about reporting Wombat. Who could blame him, these pesky humans turned up uninvited in hoards every weekend and holiday period, making noise and smells and parking tents and cars in the middle of wombat territory and highways without any consideration. Why not have a bit of Wombat rage every now and then to remind them who was here first? Then I worried, what if Wombat is a serial offender and has to be dealt with? Have I dobbed him in for the final time? Do they shoot rogue wombats for repeated aggression? Pull yourself together Helen, this is a National Park, wombats are protected (except from cars on the roads).

After the afternoon Milo, we packed up ready for an early start back home the following morning. The tent was, as ever, clear of food and any hint of cooking utensils. We went blithely to a long Happy Hour. On our return to site 340, Martin became concerned. There were wombat tracks in the dust right by the tent. Of course there were, I said, Wombat was here yesterday, don’t panic. He gingerly opened the tent. No Wombat, but 5 much bigger holes were now present on the inner mesh! Wombat had returned! It took a lot more duct tape to fix these holes.

We promised ourselves never to camp in Africa!

Wombat …….. 1 / Helen & Martin …….. 0 !

END